Traveling long distances with an infant can be a challenge. Planning ahead and packing well can save you a lot of stress and anxiety. Life with a new baby can be complicated. Once upon a time you could pack a bag and just leave, but now you have to plan and pack several bags of clothes, toys and other accessories just for a few days trip. It is easy to get overwhelmed thinking about everything you might possibly need and you can easily overpack which can cause stress of its own.
We created a list of things that will help you survive a long road trip with a baby. We’ve also included a few hacks that will help make for a wonderful memory rather than a horror story that ends with you and your baby crying and covered in poop.
A road trip is as much, or more, about the journey than just the destination, now matter how you travel or who you travel with. Don’t waist the journey. You only have a baby for 1 year, and you only have an infant for 6 months, every moment, whether you are snuggling or pulling your hair out, is a precious memory. It is the journey that teaches you the most, about yourself, your partner and about parenting. Savor it!
Whether you are going to visit Grandma or taking a much needed family vacation away from the couch, your office chair or whatever has your butt hostage these days, you will need a good plan and lots of supplies if you want to enjoy a long drive with your infant. That little soft bundle of energy and incomprehensible opinions will keep you on your toes the whole drive.
10 Tips for a Successful Road Trip with a Baby
1. Leave Early
If Waze says it will take 6 hours, plan for 8 and leave early. Everything takes longer with a baby. It will probably take longer just to get on the road, you will likely need to stop a few more times than expected and you might be driving slower than Waze expects you to. Do everyone a favor and add an extra 1 hour for every 4 hours of expected travel time, then round up!
2. Pack the night before
Do what you can to make your travel day as easy as possible. There will be surprises along the way; things you remember to pack last minute, travel anxiety tantrums and other last minute pit stops. Make the day of as easy as possible.
3. Time it with Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule
If you have the opportunity to drive during your baby’s normal sleep times, than take advantage of it. If you have a long drive than you wont be able to make it the whole way during nap time, but for short trips this could work. At least try to arrive a few hours before bedtime, to give your baby the necessary amount of awake time before going to sleep for the night.
4. Take frequent breaks
Take breaks as often as you can. A good rule of thumb is to take a break every 2 hours for 15 minutes. Allow your baby to stretch her legs, get a fresh diaper and a meal or just some time to snuggle. Every baby is different so more than likely you will be needing to feed or change a diaper after 2 hours, for those of you who’s baby sleeps like a champ in her car seat, maybe set a timer to remind yourself to pull over and give her a break from being scrunched up.
There can be negative effects to leaving your baby in a car seat for prolonged periods of time such airway restriction and risks to spinal development. Do your research! Make sure you have your seat installed correctly and that you don’t have any recalled car seat accessories.
5. Get in a Feeding Before You Hit the Road
Try to get in a meal or at least a good snack for your little one before you hit the road. At least a small meal will delay the hunger until you can give baby a bigger meal. Full tummies make for happy babies.
6. Sit in Back with Your Baby
If possible, try sitting in the back with your baby for stretches. You don’t have to sit in the back the whole ride. Heaven knows you don’t want to sit in the back seat if you don’t have to. At least make sure you have an open seat available next to the baby in case you need to hop in the back.
7. Bring Favorite Toys and Books
Bring all of your baby’s favorite toys. It is good to have a lot of options for when he gets bored, so keep a stash of toys handy for when that happens you can quickly and easily swap in something new.
8. Shield her from the Sun
Baby’s have very sensitive skin and eyes so it important to keep the glaring sun off of her. See below for some Sun Screens that easily attach to your car windows. They block most of the light and UV rays and are still see through so you can safely change lanes.
9. Dress Casual in Everyday Clothes
Don’t dress your baby for the destination, dress for him the car ride. The easiest option is to dress in normal everyday clothes that can easily be removed or layers added if needed. Avoid bundling him in pram suits or really warm pajamas and leave the accessories like headbands or bowties off until you are no longer in the car.
10. Keep the Car Slightly Cool
Baby’s need help regulating their body temperature. If your baby is too cool she will cry and let you know, you can add a blanket or a layer of clothes. If she is too hot she might not complain and she might just fall asleep and overheating can be very dangerous. Keep your car slightly cooler than comfortable. Reach back and feel her ears to check her temperature. If she feels cold you can add a layer or put a blanket on her.
Road Trip Baby Pack List
It can be easy to forget little things when packing for a long road trip, but don’t sweat it, any necessities you forget at home can easily be purchased along the way. Still, it can be inconvenient to make extra unnecessary side trip for things you already own. We’ve got a list here compiling a whole lot of things that are easy to forget. Keep in mind there are some basics we may not have listed like baby wipes and butt butter. Don’t forget the butt butter!
Mirror
Keep an eye on those wiggly little toes from your rear view mirror. Babies need to ride in a rear facing seat until they are 2 years old or up to 40 lbs. This mirror is a clever solution to keeping an eye on your baby to check if she is sleeping, awake or if she has sun on her face.
Baby Car Seat Mirror for Rear Facing Infant
Window Shade
Using a window shade will keep the sun out of those sweet little peeps and help your baby snooze better, as well as keeping your baby from getting overheated or too much sun exposure on his skin.
Kinder Fluff Sunshade
Best Baby Toys for a Long Drive!
Pack your baby’s favorite toys and back a variety. Keeping your little one distracted and happy will make your road trip go much more smoothly. Here are a few of our favorites.
Mombella Mimi The Mushroom Super Soft Silicone Baby Soothing Teether Toy
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
Cute Animal Soft Baby Socks Toys Wrist Rattles and Foot Finders for Fun
Fisher-Price Rattle ‘n Rock Maracas
Rainmaker Toy for Babies
Nuby Ice Gel Teething Keys
Keep Toys From Falling out of Reach
Buy these pacifier holders by the dozen and attach them to everything! They are handy for car rides, restaurants, church, everything!
Diaper Bag Pack List
Packing your diaper bag, just like packing for any trip, depends on the destination and duration of your trip. For the most part a few basics will be the same no matter where you are going.
Diaper Bag
Choose a diaper bag with a lot of compartments and pockets. You want something where everything has its place so that when you precious bundle of joy eventually blows out of her diaper, you know right where to go for everything you need.
Travel Back Pack Diaper Bag; Waterproof
Diapers
This seems pretty obvious but as far as how many to pack, we figured how many diapers we use on a typical day, plus 5 extras. Don’t pack too many diapers, they take up a lot of space and you can always buy more.
Extra Clothes
Keep two extra changes of close in your diaper bag in case of a blow out. We suggest one set of footie jammies and one extra onesie.
Portable Waterproof Changing Pads
These changing pads are machine washable, waterproof and absorbent. And they add a little cushion for that cute little tushy.
BlueSnail Bamboo Quilted Thick Waterproof Changing Pad Liners
Disposable Waterproof Changing Pad Liners
Keeping a few disposable changing pads on hand will be a God send for those times you know you are about to unwrap a landslide of a biohazard in your kids shorts. Puppies or babies, these will keep the mess contained.
AmazonBasics Puppy Potty Training Pads
Diaper Garbage Bags
Keep a role of these in your diaper bag at all times. They will keep the smell to a minimum in case you have to hang on to a stinky diaper for a few miles.
Munchkin Arm and Hammer Diaper Bag Refills; 72 count
Baby Basic Grooming Kit
You will mostly likely get at least one grooming kit before you have your baby. These things come in handy and are worth packing on a trip. At least bring the booger sucker, thermometer and fingernail clippers
Safety 1st Deluxe Healthcare & Grooming Kit
Stay Positive and Savor the Time Together
It can be easy to rush the drive, trying to maximize the time you have at the place you are headed, but don’t be too quick to dismiss the value of the journey. You’re baby is only a baby for 12 months. Even if it ends up taking you twice as long to get there and you are throwing baby clothes away because of a diaper blow out and your kid has to wear your under shirt because you forgot to put extra baby clothes in the diaper bag before you went into the rest-stop bathroom… it will be a story for the ages and a bonding experiencing that none of you (except the baby) will ever forget.
F.A.Q.
How soon can a newborn travel long distance by car?
Every baby has his own story by the time they are born, so be sure to ask your doctor for the best time to travel with your newborn baby. There are restrictions around how long a baby should be in a car seat and a newborn is no exception. Another thing to consider is that your baby’s immune system is still undeveloped in the first few weeks of his life. If possible wait as long as you can for a long road trip.
